Melissa
Melshenker Ackerman
Melissa Melshenker Ackerman
President
Produce Alliance
Melissa Ackerman, President of Produce Alliance (PA), leads a national produce company specializing in consulting and purchasing of produce from field to fork. As a leading service industry expert, PA prides itself on being an integral part of the entire process from when the crops are planted until reaching their customer’s plates.
Melissa officially joined Produce Alliance in 2012 and quickly learned all aspects of the company’s operations. Prior to being named PA’s President, she held the positions of Associate General Counsel, VP of Sales, and Executive VP of Sales. Under Melissa’s guidance, PA has grown from 40 employees to over 150 nationally. Melissa is a visionary and has a passion for developing PA in fresh and innovative directions.
Melissa’s focus on forward looking growth led her to assemble a PA Next Gen Executive Board specifically designed for the next generation of distributor and PA owners to discuss business strategy, industry growth, and potential change. Melissa also aims to develop a culture of cohesiveness throughout the internal PA organization, and this is exhibited through the leadership committees she established within all sectors of PA. These committees encourage personnel in every PA office to take collective steps to promote social activism and sustainability movements in their regions.
In addition to encouraging a service mentality within PA, Melissa is committed to service in her larger community. Within her first few years at PA, she created the PA Foundation, a philanthropic organization designed to be a first line responder to emergent humanitarian situations, such as hurricanes, floods, and the like. Melissa also serves on the Advisory Board for Freight Farms, lending her produce and managerial insights to bring hyperlocal produce to all consumers, including those in underserved areas. In 2018, Melissa’s leadership in all areas was recognized as she was a winner of Produce Business’ 40 under 40 Best and Brightest.
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